Recap: Celtics prove Heat “ain’t so bad”

I was wrong. After getting embarrassed last week in Boston, I thought the Heat were going to pound the Celtics tonight. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The Celtics walked into Miami and bitch-slapped the Heat, 115-107. What's even more shocking, they did it with offense. They shot 60% and 63% from three.

This was a tough win. After the Celtics raced out to an 18-point 2nd quarter lead, the Heat made several runs. But the Celtics kept counter-punching. They stayed poised and didn't wilt. They are not afraid of this Heat team.

Kevin Garnett (24 points, 11-14 FG, 9 rebounds) was money. With the Celtics clinging to a 5-point lead midway through the 4th quarter, Garnett knocked down four straight jumpers. And he nailed the dagger with 2:21 remaining.

I cannot wait for Enemy Chatter tomorrow.
I thought the officiating in this game was horrible tonight on both sides.

http://profile.typepad.com/sothewind Lee in Oregon

KG!!! Great win, nice to let those guys we can beat them there. Not many of us expected that. I thought the whole team played well. Nice to see Sasha have another good game and Steimsma is getting better every night. Can’t say enough about KG though, that was a damn clinic he put on in the 4th when everyone else seemed to go cold. Bring on the Hawks!

Alex

Miami fans are just so pathetic… Being late to games, 8 fans cheering ‘MVP’ while they are down 10 points, leaving extremely early… man, what a fairweather fanbase.
Other than that, GREAT GAME by the Celtics. I honestly got nothing bad to say about this team. Defense wasn’t at its best obviously, but hey, their offense is really starting to light up!

Alex

It really wasn’t that bad. I think the officials did fine. Sure, these missed a couple calls for both ends, but it wasn’t that bad.

http://profile.typepad.com/kristovar Kristovar

It certainly wasn’t game changing, but I found myself rolling my eyes a lot more than usual.

Quest

Out rebounded the Heat!!! Like where have the c’s been all year. LOL This team is peaking at the right time. The c’s celebrating on the flight home. So who does Doc rest tomorrow night???? I ‘m thinking KG and Ray . Can’t risk any injuries to fatigue now.
Now all we need is a healthy Pietrus.
Go Green!!!!

http://profile.typepad.com/kristovar Kristovar

Maybe they need more ads telling their fans to stick with them?
Was I the only one who loved watching Ray coach Avery and Stiemer on the bench?

http://profile.typepad.com/6p01156f2d28d7970c BigMck

There was a stretch in the 4th where it seemed like the Heat were getting away with physical play and the Cs were getting whistled.
Both teams had 21 fouls.

http://profile.typepad.com/steelbanks Steelbanks

This lineup is frightening! In an awesome way!

http://profile.typepad.com/kwapt KWAPT

Yes-HAVE to mention the bench. They were huge during that stretch in the 2nd half where C’s really opened it up to 45-30. Sasha is still a tad bit hesitant. If he can just get to firing those open jumpers with no 2nd thoughts, he’s going to be key. That’s been his major “issue” all year. The defense tonight in the 2nd half I thought was phenomenal. You saw Miami getting to the basket easily in the 1st & 2nd quarters. But I loved how Boston gave some good hard fouls down low later in the game. And how about KG? My word he is absolutely killing it from midrange. Such an important win tonight to A)Get a good start on this 7 games in 9 days stretch and B)Beat a good team in their building. Ubuntu.

http://profile.typepad.com/kristovar Kristovar

Glad it evened out… as I said, not game changing… but down the stretch it felt like the Heat got away with some stuff. Pierce’s drawing a foul against James towards the beginning of the game wasn’t a great call, either. Recency just stuck in my mind.
Makes it so much sweeter that even with some opportunities for the Heat in the final Q that the C’s kept the pedal to the floor and put the Heat to bed. I’d think that the Heat would fear a Boston matchup in the second round more than an ECF against the Bulls.

http://profile.typepad.com/sothewind Lee in Oregon

Speaking of hard foul’s, how about when DWade came in for a drive and Sasha bodied him into the pads. Sasha is tough.

http://profile.typepad.com/mdsample greenbeand

miami should change their logo to a turtle

http://profile.typepad.com/kwapt KWAPT

He is. No glamour, nothing pretty-perfect for 2nd team. Just play hard & don't let anything come easy for other team.

Mileke

I agree that the officiating in this game was bad on both ends. BUT definitely the BEST win by the boys in green this season! Just dominated most of the game! Good win Team Celtics

Paul

Who cares now if we play HEATless in the 1st or 2nd round!!!

classless

Best win of the year. Wade has cemented himself as an unlikable punk after quitting halfway thru a Celtics fast break to bitch about a non foul call. Someone tell him he hasn’t won anything since Shaq, nor has he ever won an MVP.
I don’t fear Miami anymore since they clearly don’t have heart (nor do their fans)

Haven’t done my usual research, but has any other NBA team had a back to back to back on the road?

Paul

Rest some certain players during this tough road stretch! Agreed?

http://profile.typepad.com/kristovar Kristovar

The Heat have got to fear us in a possible second round matchup than an ECF matchup against the Bulls.

Ace-one

Great win, great team play. KG was killin’ it with the midrange and playing stout D on the Miami frontcourt. Every player brought it today. Stiesma continues to be better than anyone could have hoped for. I love the way he plays.
Let’s not get too carried away with rebounding stats, though. It’s pretty hard for Miami to outrebound the Celtics when the Celtics are making every shot. Celts still gave up 13 offensive rebounds. That worries me.
Officiating wasn’t atrocious, but I felt there were a couple “keep things close” fouls against Boston that were suspect. Boston should have one by 16, not 8. Oh, and LeBron getting away with obvious travel and then bailed out by a phantom foul? That was pretty bad.

http://profile.typepad.com/6p0115704263ce970b Papa Irish

Rondo TOOK OVER after the Heats run to cut the lead to 5, that and clutch shooting all night by anyone and everyone on the Celtics pretty much won us the game
How can you not love watching this team, I cannot believe how blessed we are as Celtics fans, from having a team first winning matters above all else core group of KG, Pierce, Rondo, and Ray; to one of the league’s great coaches in Doc, who couldn’t be any more likeable; to good management and ownership that cares and puts winning above dollars and cents; and don’t forget being able to listen the greatest broadcasting duo ever in Mike and Tommy. Soak it all in and enjoy it while it lasts

Paul

Bring on the Heatless in any round!!!

Chachee

Great win. Let’s keep in mind that the C’s shot a ridiculous 60%. A lot of those shots weren’t layups either. To their credit, they hit some tough contested jumpers with about 2 seconds left on the shot clock, multiple times. Those types of shots usually go the other way. Most of the Miami’s points came in the paint, which is concerning. This feels like Game 1 of a seven game series where we’re all optimistic that the C’s are the better team, only to have them come out the next game and shoot 35% and lose by 15. Regardless, a win is a win and the better team won tonight. For being such an historic defense, to let up 107 points, is another bit of a concern. However, the C’s showed that they can beat this Heat team with defense AND offense.

Nora

Give me a break! C’s had no trouble with the Heat the last 2 games. The Heat should be unbelieveably concerned. Bosh can’t play against KG for one example.

http://profile.typepad.com/redslovechild1 Redslovechild

Agreed…great win, but must be kept in perspective.
Shooting 60% will always “mask” alot of other serious deficiencies.

djisinthehall

Great win- but we shot the ball at a ridiculous rate. The heat have become a two man show, With a healthy Garnett it all but eliminates Bosh from the equation.
I don’t like our chances, I LOVE our chances int he playoffs.

ChrisD

While we did shoot at a rediculous rate, part of that was the looks we were getting. There were alot of contested shots that went in yes, but there were stretches there they let Rondo shoot with a 8 foot bubble, the double screens for the best 3 ball shooter in the game, and then Bosh just letting KG have his own 8 foot courtesy space for midrange jumpers in the 4th quarter.
While I wouldnt expect to see this low of an effort from the heat in the playoffs, it did look like the C’s just got the HEArTless to shut down on both ends of the court (no d and hero ball while trailing), which is all you can ask for against that team.

chachee

I wouldn’t say they had ‘no trouble’. It almost seemed like Lebron could’ve been MUCH more aggressive than he was last night. Same could be said about Rondo. Both players are virtually impossible to stop, when they turn it on and drive to the hoop. I think Avery Bradley is the only guy on the Celtics that i would want covering D Wade. He does a really good job on containing Wade and not letting him drive, just holding him to jump shots. The fact that Miami had so many easy looks inside is what worries me. The C’s could’ve easily lost this game, had they missed 2 or 3 of their late-shot-clock heroic jumpers. Bosh looked like he wanted to go to war against KG. Both of them were battling inside. Bosh just doesn’t have the emotional qualities to compare him to someone like KG. Apples and oranges. He’s a decent finisher inside, but he’s no leader. There really is no leadership on that Heat team, just a massive amount of raw, physical talent.